Sunday, March 04, 2007

A Little More Progress

Friday, March 2, 2007A lot of the cabinets were installed this week--enough so the granite people could come in and do a template. According to Adam, the granite installation happens about three weeks after the granite measure. Appliance installation and painting are the only major projects after the granite is installed, so we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.These are the cabinets that go above the cooktop. Some of the doors will be glass. Actually, not glass but something called ecoresin, made of recycled materials. And we're all about green--I'm just hoping that my new Prius will not cause me to gain as much weight as Al Gore has.The empty spaces here are for the refrigerator and the oven. The oven is still sitting in our living room, waiting patiently to be installed. It's more patient than I am.Not as much progress this week as in past weeks.Like everyone else, the carpenters were snowed in for a couple of days. There have been a lot of complaints about the slowness of the snow removal. Like most other items in the state budget, the Transportation Department's snow removal budget has been cut. People seem surprised that the budget cuts have some correlation with efficiency.Frieda, our good luck garden ornament, is still standing tall and perky in all the snow. I love Frieda because she seems so plucky, and also because she reminds me that large hips can be a thing of beauty.

your cabinets are beautiful. soon you'll be filling them and enjoying your shiny new appliances too. what's a little snow in the life of a minnesotan?? did i say little? my mistake. :) anyway, it's so frustrating during the process, but it's all worth in the end. honest!

Dear Marie, What a beautiful sight (snow scene)especially for me, who lives in Hong Kong where it will never snow.We only see these in X'mas cards.Our first day of Chinese New Year was 25 celcus(about 77 Fahreheit) . We used to wear padded quilt dress for new year gathering but I wore short sleeve T shirt this year. It is certainly right, Spring is round the corner, both for the season and your kitchen. Cheers!

It's hard for me to tell, but is Frieda holding a tiny upright wooden spoon in her right hand? To me, with the hips and the spoon, she looks like the garden goddess of Homemade Bread. Great looking kitchen, enjoy it soon!Chris in RIHey it just hit me! You know what you need? An outdoor bread baking/pizza oven! Maybe when the indoor kitchen is done...

Chris,It's not a wooden spoon--it's a wand with a star on the end, although I sure like the idea of the Garden Bread Goddess.You might think you're kidding about the idea of an outdoor bread baking oven, but don't think it hasn't occurred to me. In fact, I do think it's just the thing I need. I haven't yet broached this subject with Jim.

Dear Marie,You are always welcome. Most of the people I know prefer to visit HK during the cooler seasons which is getting shorter now. Mainly from Oct to May. The summer months of July to Sept are very hot and staying outdoor is not enjoyable. People might end up staying in malls which are crticised of being over air-conditioned and U may need a sweater.:)I enjoy baking bread and I have tried may be a third from the bread bible but I may not be able to get all the ingredients and tools here, so often I have to make some modification. I enjoy your blog and Rose's as there are interaction or asking questions or even get timely help.

You really have not only beautiful cabinets, but they are fun to look at too! I love their design.

I like how you made it so not all your doors will be glass, or to be correct, now that I've learned about it, ecoresin. It makes for a more interesting design!

I also love your little step down top line (of the 2nd photo) of your wall cabinets!!!

These two details make so much more of an interesting design than an array of cabinets marching across the wall in monotonous, boring repetition ...as most kitchen cabinetry does.

Plus, with the wood itself being interesting and the grain various, it makes the whole thing quite interesting. I don't sweep my eye over it and think "cabinets"... Instead, I find myself lingering, looking at the wood, the grain, the details of design. Now, I've just noticed that some of your panels have a center wood strip, and that the doors are different sizes.

Do you have something in mind for that tall narrow space above the little cube spaces? And what do you have in mind for the cube spaces themselves? Are they for a collection of something: teacups or kitchen trolls or Dala horses? or for bottles of vanilla, almond, lemon, baking powder, seeds, and bottles of herbs and seasoning?

Is it how you imagined?

Do I remember your saying something about worrying that you wouldn't have enough cabinet space? Does it feel like enough now?

Yiuma,You are also always welcome in Minnesota--a good place to visit if you want to experience winter!

Marissa,You're very perceptive about the design details. I love what's happened in the kitchen so far because it doesn't look like everybody else's kitchen. The little spaces are actually just the right size for wine bottles, and I think we'll use some of them for wine and some for miscellaneous tsotchkes.

Pinknest,I'm jealous of your life in Manhattan! (But I do like my cabinets).

Marie, I've been away for two weeks and have been anxious to see how it is all coming together. I laughed when I saw all the boxes of cabinets everywhere! Did you kind of worry they wouldn't all fit in the kitchen? The alder is a very nice choice. (being originally from Oregon I,too, have heard of alder.) I'm sure you could 'hot wire' the Wolf now, and start baking for us again!...No?

Marissa,Yes, hardware and trim come next. Then, in just 10 days, the great day when the granite will be installed. Yes, tile is to be installed above the cooktop on Friday, March 23. We're going to Chicago that weekend, so, at least in theory, we should come back on Monday to see new tile. And that will also be a great day.

Melinda,Good to hear from you again! Yes, I did wonder if I couldn't just plug in the oven and start baking on the living room floor. I had an idea that there might be some flaw in that plan, however.